The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees for the development of AOAH as a cancer immunotherapy.
Immune CheckPoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and T-cell based therapies are part of the emerging immunology-based therapies being used to treat cancers. However, the efficacy of ICI therapies can be limited and a substantial portion of patients develop resistance or tolerance to treatment. T-cell based cancer immunotherapies have only been approved for hematological cancers. They are suboptimal in solid tumor cancers due to physical barriers and the immuno-suppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, additional therapies and strategies are needed to improve efficacy and expand the types of cancer amendable to treatment.
Scientists at the National Cancer Institute have identified a secreted lipase, Acyloxyacyl Hydrolase (AOAH), produced by cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells that can potentiate immunotherapies in murine tumor models. The protein sensitizes T cell receptors to weak antigens and protects dendritic cells through depleting immunosuppressive arachidonyl phoshatidylcholines and oxidized derivatives. Thus, the protein can potentially enhance the efficacy and types of cancers treated by ICI based and T-cell based immunotherapies.
The National Cancer Institute is seeking collaborators and/or licensees to develop this technology as a cancer immunotherapy.